Turn and Test Smoke Alarms for Daylight Saving Time

September 10, 2016. Fayetteville, North Carolina. With staff and volunteers, the American Red Cross canvassed the community with fire safety materials and installed smoke alarms in underserved/military connected neighborhoods around the Fort Bragg area in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with a goal of installing 1500 smoke alarms. Photo by Adam Jennings/American Red Cross.

Red Cross and Partners Have Saved Nearly 200 Lives by Installing 702,000 Smoke Alarms Across The Country

Daylight Saving Time begins at 2am this Sunday, March 12, 2017. This is the best opportunity for the American Red Cross to remind everyone that it’s a good time to TEST the batteries in their smoke alarms as they TURN their clocks ahead an hour.

This weekend is also a good time for everyone to take these additional steps that can help save lives and prepare households for emergencies.

Practice fire drills at home. Fire experts agree that people may have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late. Every household should create a fire escape plan and practice it until everyone can escape in less than two minutes. Escape plans should also include at least two ways to escape from every room, and a safe spot where family members can meet after leaving the home.

Check smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying from a home fire by half. Test smoke alarms once a month. Change the batteries at least once a year – if your model requires it. Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms.

GET INVOLVED: Nearly every weekend, the Red Cross is joining with local partners across the country to install smoke alarms and share fire safety information in neighborhoods at high risk for home fires. To volunteer and help keep families safe from home fires, contact your local Red Cross chapter today.

The Red Cross depends on the generous support of the American public to fulfill its crucial mission. Please consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1.800.RED.CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 gift.

People can visit redcross.org to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire or contact their local Red Cross to find out about smoke alarm installation events in their community.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Kay Whatley serves as Editor and Reporter with The Grey Area News. Kay is a published author with over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. Kay Whatley is wife to Frank Whatley, founder of The Grey Area™ newspaper and The Grey Area News online news website.

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